Contents

Characters are grouped according to the importance of the role they play in the series and, along with each character, there is a small writeup summarizing their appearance, personality and relationship to other characters and the story at large. For more detailed information, please see the characters' individual pages.

Tomoya Okazaki is the male protagonist of the Clannad series, and the playable character in the visual novel. At the beginning of the storyline, he is 17 years old, and has steel-blue hair and blue eyes. He was a student attending Hirazaki high school, but was widely known as a delinquent, he is close friends with Youhei Sunohara, and forms close friendships with numerous other characters throughout the storyline. Tomoya has a strained relationship with his father, and after gaining the trust of the Furukawa family, he moves into their bakery.

Nagisa Furukawa is the main female protagonist of Clannad. One year older than Tomoya, she has reddish brown hair and golden eyes. Nagisa lacks self-confidence, and twice loses the close relationships she's built due to her poor health, which necessitates her repetition of her final high school year. She has a great fondness for the Great Dango Family, as well as for anpan, a sweet bean bread. Nagisa has an unusual habit of saying the name of her favorite food when she is nervous, so if she doesn't act nervous then, she will reward herself with the food later on.

Meeting Tomoya at the beginning of the school year, the two of them build a close relationship as he helps her in refounding the Drama Club. They later begin dating, and got maried, then Nagisa gave birth to a girl named Ushio.

Sanae Furukawa is Nagisa's mother. Like her daughter, she has reddish-brown hair, and works as a baker at her family bakery, and also teaches a cram school. Despite her aspirations as a baker, her bread is inedible, and does not sell. Her husband, Akio, is known to give her bread away in order to effect the illusion of sales. Despite his efforts, however, she routinely overhears him or others making disparaging comments about her bread, resulting in a running gag through the series being Akio's attempts to reassure her of her baking skills. She gets very upset when customers are not satisfied with her bread. Sanae is normally depicted as being delicate and emotional, but is actually very strong-willed and determined.

Akio Furukawa is Nagisa's father, and the husband of Sanae. With her, he runs Furukawa Bread, where he bakes the bread that actually sells. He enjoys baseball, and frequently plays with neighborhood kids in the park across the street from the bakery. He acts as a father substitute for Tomoya, though he hates to be reminded of the fact. Formerly an actor, he and Sanae gave up on their dreams following their negligence nearly resulting in Nagisa's death. Though often depicted to be harsh, Akio is in fact a very loving father.

Ryou Fujibayashi is the younger of the Fujibayashi twins. She is extremely shy, but does her best in her role as her class representative. Her main hobby is fortune-telling, although her success at it tends to be very limited. She shows affection for Tomoya, and her sister goes through various exploits in an attempt to foment romance. Kyou's growing endearment towards Tomoya, however, is at Ryou's expense. The competing affections of the Fujibayashi twins serves as the plot for the Another World: Kyou Chapter OVA.

Youhei's younger sister, Mei Sunohara, lives in the rural countryside around Hikarizaka. She loves her brother dearly, and consistently worries about him. She visits her brother twice in the series, and works both times to make her brother more responsible. Her most prominent appearance is during the siblings' arc, leading Sanae to pose as Youhei's girlfriend. Though Youhei feigns annoyance with Mei, he cares for her. The two siblings eventually grow closer as a result of the arc; Youhei stands up for her when she is bullied by the Soccer Club.

Kyou Fujibayashi is the older of the purple-haired Fujibayashi twins. She is very protective of her sister, Ryou, and always watches out for her. She is an aggressive girl who is also known as a good cook, and owns a pet boar named Botan. Although her relationship with Tomoya remains good throughout the story, he is on occasion the victim of her anger, which invariably results in one receiving a dictionary to the head or getting punched by her. Her prominence grows in Another World: Kyou Chapter, when she and Tomoya begin dating in an alternate timeline.

First-year student Fuko Ibuki is only prominently featured in her own arc, though she does appear at arbitrary intervals throughout the series to offer "help" to those in need. She premieres in The First Step, though she is mentioned in passing as a form of foreshadowing in the first episode. Fuko spends all her time carving wooden starfish, which she gives to people as presents to encourage them to attend her sister's wedding.

It is later revealed that Fuko is an ikiryō, and that she is actually in the hospital following a car accident. Her arc concludes with her sister's wedding. She later returns to the series following her recovery in ~After Story~, making friends with Ushio.

throughout the story. His player attitude leads him to consistent run-ins with other characters: his introduction scene shows him being beaten up by the Rugby Club, and he is frequently the victim of Tomoyo's chain-kicks. He and his sister, Mei, are the focus of the first episodes of ~After Story~. He also appears later in ~After Story~ without his blond hair.

Kotomi Ichinose is in the same year as Tomoya. An exceptionally talented student, she rarely attends classes, preferring to study alone in the library. The work of her deceased parents, who were well-known scientists, makes her the focus of the gentleman, her godfather and a colleague of her parents. Kotomi enjoys playing the violin; however, it is one area where her talents are limited. It is revealed in Garden of Memories that she and Tomoya were childhood friends, but lost touch following her parents' death.

Tomoyo Sakagami is a silver-haired transfer student. She is depicted as being violent, and is often rumored to be the leader of a delinquent gang. These rumors initially hamper her ambition of becoming president of the Student Council; however, she eventually achieves this goal with the help of Tomoya and Youhei. She tends to overlook social niceties, and does not show Tomoya his due respect as her senior. However, she does care for him, and in the alternate timeline of Another World: Tomoyo Chapter, they are depicted as a couple. The popularity of this route among fans was built on in the erogē sequel to Clannad, Tomoyo After ~It's a Wonderful Life~.

Yukine Miyazawa is a second-year student who frequents the library reference room and helps people in need of finding books. She is fond of serving tea to visitors, and is known to care for the injuries of gang members. Her deceased brother, Kazuto, was the leader of a gang, and his death was kept secret to protect them from rivals. However, his death is revealed after Yukine fails in an attempt to pose as him. The realization of his death leads the two sides to reconcile their differences.

Ushio Okazaki is the daughter of Tomoya and Nagisa Okazaki. Following her mother's death in childbirth, Ushio spends her early years in the care of Akio and Sanae Furukawa, Tomoya having been stricken by depression following his loss. Ushio goes on a trip with her father after five years, and Tomoya decides to raise her after having met with his grandmother. However, Ushio is soon overcome by illness, and dies in Tomoya's arms. However, due to her having created the Illusionary World, her and Nagisa's lives are spared by Tomoya's actions when the light orbs allow him to return to his meeting with Nagisa.

Botan is Kyou Fujibayashi's pet boar. Known for her signature phrase, "Puhi-Puhi", Botan often attempts to sneak into the school grounds to visit her owner during class. Due to her small size and appearance, she is frequently the target of culinary jokes by Kyou's classmates, who subsequently tend to turn into targets of Kyou's rage. Botan is known to possess seven secret skills, some of which are revealed throughout the series. In ~After Story~, Botan is depicted as having grown considerably, and serves as a mascot for Kyou's kindergarten class.

Rie Nishina is a member of the Choir Club. Though she was formerly a talented violinist, she was involved in an accident which prevents her from playing anymore. Initially after the accident, she became depressed; however, after discovering she can sing well, she decided to form the Choir Club. Rie ends up in Nagisa's class during ~After Story~, and following her graduation, begins working with Nagisa and Sugisaka at Ernesto Host.

Naoyuki Okazaki is Tomoya's father. His wife, Atsuko, died when Tomoya was young. To cope with the depression this caused, Naoyuki turned to alcohol, which caused him to become violent, despite trying to be a good father. Following a row which left Tomoya injured, he attempted to distance himself emotionally from his son in order to avoid violence. Though Tomoya leaves home to live with the Furukawas early on in the story, he returns home five years later following a meeting with his grandmother in ~After Story~, and convinces Naoyuki to move to the countryside with her.

Misae Sagara is the resident manager at the male dormitory where Youhei lives. Although kind, she is very strict when it comes to the dorm rules, and is most often accompanied by her cat. Prior to her graduation, she was the school's first female student council president, and remains somewhat of a legend to the student body. Because of this, she is greatly admired by Tomoyo Sakagami, who often comes to her for advice in her position as student council president.

Misae's arc focuses on her past, in which she fell in love with a boy named Katsuki Shima. Formerly ill, Katsuki had given his cat the duty of granting Misae a wish before his death. The cat took his human form, and pursues Misae in the hope of fulfilling his duty. During this time, however, he falls in love with her. Eventually, Misae wishes for him to love her forever. Katsuki returns to his cat form, and Misae, unaware of his identity, adopts him.

Kouko Ibuki is Fuko's older sister. A former art teacher at Tomoya's school, she frequents Furukawa Bread, and is engaged (and later married to) electrician Yusuke Yoshino. A kind woman, Fuko's desire for her to have a happy wedding is one of the primary reasons she is able to exist as an ikiryō. Little is seen of her after her marriage; however, she has several appearances throughout ~After Story~. Following Fuko's recovery, Kouko keeps a close eye on her, worried about her health.

Yusuke Yoshino is an electrician who works for the Hikarizaka Electric Company. A former rock musician, he lost his career following a bout of depression which culminated in drug addiction. Both before and after his music career, Kouko Ibuki was one of his strongest supporters, and he married her in Until the End of the Dream. He is fond of giving speeches about the benefits of youth, though only the Sunohara siblings seem to be inspired by them. In ~After Story~, he gives Tomoya a job as an assistant electrician.

Toshio Koumura is a language teacher at Tomoya's school. The former club advisor for the Drama Club, he is approached by Nagisa and Tomoya as part of their attempts to refound it. He tells them they will need to discuss the matter with the Choir Club, whom he has already pledged to support. Following several plot points, the two clubs agree to share him as their advisor.

Isogai is the Furukawas' elderly neighbor. She appears only twice between the Clannad anime and ~After Story~. She is first seen attending the school festival to watch Nagisa's play in Two Shadows; in The Promised Founder's Festival, she informs Tomoya that the entire neighborhood enjoy watching Akio's and Sanae's antics with regard to Sanae's bread.

Mitsui is a senior student at Tomoya's school, appearing only in Fuko's arc. In the Clannad visual novel, she rebukes Fuko for continually handing out starfish carvings; in the anime, however, she only appears indifferent to Fuko, initially explaining that as a senior, she does not have the time to attend Kouko's wedding. Later, however, she accepts Fuko's starfish, and is seen in the crowd following the wedding in Until the End of the Dream.

Sugisaka is a member of the Choir Club. Actively refusing to allow the Drama Club to be advised by Toshio Koumura, she later threatens Nagisa if she continues to pursue her goal. Finally explaining Rie's story to her, Tomoya, and Youhei, she agrees to share Koumura with the Drama Club following 3 on 3. In A New Family, she appears with Rie and Nagisa as a waitress at Ernesto Host.

The gentleman is an unnamed character who appears in Kotomi's arc. A colleague of her parents, he was named her godfather and became her legal guardian upon their deaths. He appeared in several episodes of Clannad until he eventually manages to deliver to Kotomi a suitcase which survived the plane crash that killed her parents.

Kazuto Miyazawa is the deceased brother of Yukine Miyazawa. Prior to his death, he was the leader of one of the local gangs of delinquents. His death was kept quiet by his gang for fear it would compromise their position. Only after Sasaki's gang learns of his death do both sides agree to end their fighting.

Katsuki Shima is a character who appears during Misae's arc of ~After Story~. Misae gives him encouragement when he is ill, and prior to his death, he instructs his cat to grant her a wish. His cat assumes his form, and pursues Misae in the hope of fulfilling his duty. The two fall in love, and Misae wishes that he will forever love her. Finally able to fulfill her wish, he returns to his cat form. Misae, unaware of his identity, adopts him.

Igarashi is the first love interest of Misae Sagara. His good nature and desire to please everyone leads Misae to believe he is returning her affections; when she learns that he does not, in fact, share her feelings, she begins to grow closer to Katsuki.

Tomoya's grandmother, Shino Okazaki, appears near the end of ~After Story~ in The Ends of the Earth. She explains to him the sacrifices which her son, Naoyuki, made to care for Tomoya. This allows him to return home to his father, who is convinced to move back home with Shino.

Some characters do not fit into the above classifications. These include the residents of the Illusionary World, as well as characters that feature primarily in only one of the media, such as the visual novel, and who are omitted or downplayed in others due to their unimportance to the plot.

The girl in the Illusionary World is an unnamed character who serves as Ushio's incarnation in the Illusionary World. She bears a strong resemblance to Nagisa. The portions of the story set in the Illusionary World focus on her relationship with the garbage doll, whom she creates. Her purpose for being in the Illusionary World is to collect enough light orbs in order to save her family from their tragic fate.

Kappei Hiiragi is a young man who only appears in the Clannad visual novel. A former athlete for Japan, he was forced to retire after discovering he suffers from osteosarcoma. Due to his love of running, he refuses to have his legs amputated. He eventually marries Ryou Fujibayashi.

Takafumi Sakagami is the younger brother of Tomoyo Sakagami. It is explained in the exposition that Takafumi had once jumped in a river in an attempt to keep his parents from divorcing. Although nearly dying in the ordeal, he was successful in keeping his family together. Following his discharge from the hospital, the Sakagamis walked down the sakura-lined street near the Hikarizaka Private High School, and Takafumi expressed his desire to walk amongst those trees every year as a family. This event inspired Tomoyo to want to save the sakuras, leading her to run for student council president.

Takafumi plays one of the main roles in the Clannad sequel, Tomoyo After ~It's a Wonderful Life~, where he is depicted as being good with computers, and sets up a computer in Tomoya's apartment.

Tomo Mishima is Tomoyo's younger half-sister, and only appears in Tomoyo After. She is the illegitimate daughter of Tomoyo's father and Yūko Mishima, whose surname she receives at birth. Tomoyo loves her greatly, and constantly dotes upon her. She moves into Tomoyo's apartment due to her mother's psychological instability.

The Rugby Club at Hikarizaka Private High School consists of numerous 16–18 year old boys, most of whom are attending the school on a sports scholarship. The Club's members are primarily used to facilitate a running gag involving Sunohara getting beaten up by them. He fears them for this reason, but they in turn fear the dorm manager Misae Sagara.

The Drama Club is a project of Nagisa Furukawa's during the events of Clannad. Disbanded the previous year due to a lack of members, Nagisa worked hard, with Tomoya's assistance, to refound it. The Club's activities culminated in Nagisa's performance in Two Shadows.

The Basketball Team appears prominently in the episode 3 on 3, when they are challenged and defeated to a three-on-three match by Tomoya, Youhei, and Kyou, in order to demonstrate to the Choir Club that it is wrong to rely on a handicap.

The Student Council is the student governing body at Hikarizaka Private High School. The Council is primarily featured as an antagonistic force, as it aims to prevent Toshio Koumura to jointly advise the Drama and Choir Clubs. However, it decides to allow the arrangement after Tomoyo Sakagami is elected its president.

The Choir Club is a school club at Tomoya's school. The three principle members whom we are introduced to are Rie Nishina, Sugisaka, and Harada. The Club was initially reluctant to allow the Drama Club to be advised by Toshio Koumura; however, they later relent and agree to share an advisor following Youhei's ploy to challenge the Basketball Team to a 3-on-3 match.

The Soccer Club is featured in Clannad ~After Story~. The team refuses to allow Youhei to rejoin them; this makes his sister, Mei, cry. When members of the team begin to tease her because of this, Tomoya and Youhei proceed to beat them up.